I’ve gotten a slew of emails about my experience at the previous Engage conferences so I’ve put together a recap of my Cayman adventures here for you. (You can also read my recap of the Engage08 Encore here)

When Rebecca and Kathryn emailed me about speaking at Engage 09 :: Something Blue in Grand Cayman, I was in an airport headed to … wow, I don’t remember. Too much travel this year. Seriously, I pulled out just a small portion of my boarding passes from this spring yesterday and gasped. This image is a whole other blog post in the making…

Anyway… when I got Rebecca’s email I literally squealed! Those poor other passengers. I am pretty sure my email back to Rebecca had enough exclamation points in it to wrap around a small country. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity and to have spent time with some of the most inspiring people I know.

My Cayman journey: I woke up at the ungodly hour of 3am to catch my 7am international flight. Glad I did, because apparently everyone and their mother catches international flights at the crack of dawn. Who knew!? Last time I took a flight overseas was for my 21st birthday. It’s been a few years. I got there early enough to get breakfast at the little organic cafe at RDU and spend some time with my Times.

There are a few luxuries I realllly appreciate in life. One of them is my Delta medallion status. Now, stay with me here…. This year I traveled more than I ever have. And I tend to uh…. over-pack. (I am working on this.) So, airlines are mean and they charge you for bags now. Plus, I always got charged for my overweight bags. (I’ve had to lug magazines all over the country this year… for example- 100lbs to Indianapolis for Eventology in April) So, I applied for the Delta Reserve card which has a $400/year annual fee. OK, yes that sounds hefty. Wait for it… wait for it… So, with this card comes one very special perk. Yeah, the Sky Club with free wifi and complementary first class upgrades are nice and all, but this perk outweighs them all. Literally. They don’t charge me for overweight bags! Funny story: For the first 3 months I had the reserve card, I didn’t know about this perk. I just thought people were being nice and not charging me. I still think there’s a lot of kindness in the world, but the moment I found out about this “no baggage fee” thing, I did the math and I have saved over $2000 in excess baggage fees so far. Worth the $400? Heck yes. So there you have it. Dear Delta, for my glowing testimonial, can you send me a few extra companion tickets so I can see my friends more often or something?

Above: watching Saturday morning cartoons in the Sky Club while I waited for my connecting flight, the absolutely lovely Tiffany‘s passport holder that Rebecca and Kathryn so graciously gave to all the speakers, and the breathtaking view of Cayman as my plane landed.

The magic of Twitter: I sat down on the plane and twittered something about being happy about getting a first class upgrade. @iMatrimony twittered: sitting in first class on the way to Cayman. I replied: hey @iMatrimony, I think you’re sitting in front of me : ). It was great to see Stephanie Johnson Hunt on my flight and get to meet her wonderful husband. We arrived in Cayman together after sipping a few mimosas and were greeted by island music, friendly smiles and this great Engage welcome banner.

As if it could get any better… Walking into the Ritz Carlton that afternoon was unforgettable. Talk about top notch service and attention to detail!

I was ushered to the reception desk where I was handed a small Ritz bag, told they upgraded my room to ocean front (hello, how amazing!!) and everyone behind the desk glowed about Engage… how excited they all were that we were there. image below :: Kyle Barnes

As I waited for them to input my info into their computer, I opened the bag and found a card from my dear friend and Eventology roomie, Jeannine. image below :: my iPhone

I think the front desk people must have thought I was nuts. I got teary eyed and told the lady who was checking me in all about Jeannine and how sweet of a friend she is. She sent me a very thoughtful gift and an encouraging card wishing me well during my speaking platform. It was the perfect way to start my trip. Thank you, sweet Jeannine!

A young woman escorted me to my room and told me all about the lush property. Let me just say that at that moment, I really felt like I was on vacation. images below of the Ritz and beautiful Laura Hooper samples :: Arden Photography

I walked into my room to find truffles and surprises galore. I kept saying out loud: “wow, I just can’t believe Rebecca and Kathryn. I am so blessed, so lucky, so lucky!” If anyone knows how to go above and beyond, it’s the dynamic duo at Engaging Concepts. image :: my iPhone

I opened my balcony doors as the sun was just beginning to set and just sat there in awe. “How did I get here?” I kept asking myself. It had been a crazy wedding season for me. More stress than I can begin to tell you. People ask me all the time how I balance planning weddings, running a magazine, a daily blog and life. This spring, I didn’t. I just did my best and made it through. Not even 24 hours before that, I had just gotten off a plane from almost 11 weeks of straight travel. That first day in Cayman, I started to breath again. More than all the truffles and surprises in the world, the greatest gift was looking out at the ocean as the sun set deep into the crystal blue sea.

We were treated to a spectacular welcome gala on the beach designed by one of my favorite people on the planet, Michelle Rago. images below :: Arden Photography

No detail was left untouched. A private shoe valet welcomed us onto the “Blue Carpet”. I kept thinking about that scene in Sex and the City where Carrie loses her Manolo’s. So, I stuck my fancy Target sandals in a very safe spot. One of the highlights of the trip was getting to be interviewed for an upcoming national television program about Engage and destination weddings. The crew came to the welcome party to capture all the magic. I can’t wait to see the segment and will keep you posted on the details!

The atmosphere was unreal. I could have been at Walmart with this crowd and had the time of my life, so the scenery made this experience over-the-top amazing.

One of the many event sponsors was Tortuga Rum. The combination of the first class service and cuisine from the Ritz, Tortuga signature drinks and Michelle’s design was unforgettable.

Rebecca has the greatest parents. I had the pleasure of meeting them on a recent trip to Watercolor and fell in love with their warmth and inviting spirits. I see where Rebecca gets her charm and contagious happiness from!

I will admit being completely star-struck by meeting uber-editors Darcy Miller (with Darcy below right), Millie Martini Bratten, and Antonia van der Meer. I also had the pleasure of meeting Verona Carter from Ritz Carlton PR (pictured below left). I was so impressed not only with the Ritz’s service, but their fervor for business growth. images below :: iPhone

The first day of the conference was packed with wedding star after wedding star. This was like the Superbowl of weddings, people! images below :: Stacey Kane

Holly Hatam from Teardrop Weddings did the cutest illustrations of all of the speakers and even sent us stationery to match! Thank you, Holly! images below :: my iPhone

My favorite speakers: Simon T Bailey and Marcy Blum. Marcy has such an infectious smile and sense of humor. I am so excited that she will be speaking again at Engage09 Encore. Her blog is a must read. I’m thrilled about spending time with Simon here in Raleigh this weekend. He has been so giving and encouraging to me over the last year. When I met him at the first Engage08 Encore, my life changed. I highly recommend his book, Release Your Brilliance. If you get the chance to hear him speak (come to Engage09 Encore!) JUMP at the chance! A few morsels I will keep in my “heart drive” forever from Mr. Bailey:

Failure is not final.

How you start the day, determines the day.

Your universal assignment is not necessarily to touch everyone; it’s to touch someone.

Brilliance is released when you are in an environment where you are celebrated.

Who is the man? Preston Bailey is. His work single-handedly inspired me to be an event designer. If you aren’t already obsessed with all things Preston, get out from under your rock and get inspired. He is a true creative genius.

Enjoying a lovely lunch on the Ritz patio between sessions. The food was soooo good.

I’m not a big lunch person, but I devoured every bit of this. The key lime tart was divine.

I wish I could have another wedding for one reason and one reason only: so I could have the experience of buying a dress from Randy Fennoli. Rebecca was lucky enough to have Randy design her wedding dresses and I only dream of getting the chance to have this man dress me! He makes every woman feel like a million bucks. images below :: Randy’s camera… which I’m sure matched his outfit in every one of these shots

One of the many things I loved about Something Blue was the “VIP Dinearounds” that Rebecca and Kathryn arranged. I had the pleasure of hosting with the very talented Laura Novak at The Wharf.

Dinner was fab and we chatted over pinot grigio as we watched the sunset. One person I was so impressed with and thrilled to meet was Teresa from Camelback Flowershop…. savvy, smart, and so creative. She has a gorgeous shop in AZ that I hope to visit very soon.

The next day was my big day… time to speak! I was nervous but excited. My fellow panelists, Bee Kim of Weddingbee fame and Liene Stevens of ThinkSplendid were incredible of course. Big news- keep an eye out for Liene’s book on blogging this November! She is a great writer, so I’m sure her book will be fab.

There were four small group sessions and each one ended up being completely different. Hearing Bee’s story always blows me away, so it was such a joy to get to know her more. Liene has such a sharp wit and valuable insight. I learned so much and feel honored to have shared that time with them. images below :: right Flaire Weddings

Below left: Bee and I with my new bff Jeff Fowler and Kym Bichon from the Breakers Resort. images below :: iPhone

Bee and I shared some beach time after the panels were over. I haven’t told her this yet, but there was a moment in our conversation that I will never forget. And now that she has spilled the beans, I can talk about it. She told me about trying to have a baby for so long and then getting pregnant when she wasnt trying (read all the details from Bee yourself). It just reminded me that life gives us such unexpected gifts. I sat there as the breeze was rushing through our little cabanas and thought about my year… all the unexpected blessings. It was a very happy moment. Thanks, Bee, for being such an inspiring business woman, being such a genuine person and for sharing your life with others. It doesn’t go unnoticed. Congratulations on Baby Bee!

Later that night, after mojitos in the ocean, we had the joy of attending the closing night gala. And what a gala it was! Just hours before, this room was your average conference room. Give Celebrations Cayman a few hours and they can turn a conference room into a Cayman paradise! The decor was amazing, Hpnotiq “Something Blue” drinks delish, and the dancing was INTENSE! After such an exciting few days, I think everyone was thrilled to let loose and celebrate.

Below with some of the most beautiful, sassy, smart women around- Leila Khalil of Be Inspired PR (call her!), Jill Miester from Get Married (love you Jill!), and Kellee Khalil (call her too!). I somehow don’t have a good pic of me with all the Get Married girls (how did this not happen ladies!?). I just have to say how much I adore them. Meeting Becca and Stacie for the first time was the highlight of my trip. OK, the next pic is not as fun without watching THIS. Do it.

Another highlight of my trip was meeting Anthony Luscia from Martha Stewart. He was so complimentary of what we are doing with Southern Weddings. Yes, that made my year. I had a blast ripping it up on the dancefloor with him. OK, aaaand I fell in love with Todd Fiscus from Todd Events in Dallas. We spent some quality time together after this pic was taken talking everything from weddings to funerals to relationships to food, oh my! He and his team are F A B U L O U S. And, he has one of the best websites I’ve ever seen.

Read that sign below… so fun. This was in the window of a candy shop we passed.

I don’t know how to scuba dive, but I’d learn just to go on this boat.

Engage was so spectacular. I met some phenomenal professionals who I have since developed great friendships with and partnered on some exciting projects with. We’ll be featuring Engage alums Ceci NY, Grapevine Paperie, La Tavola Linen, Adorn Brides and several others in our Watercolor shoot next week. I am so grateful for these new relationships and can’t wait to see what develops in the months to come!

Special thanks to all the photographers who contributed to this post (if I missed a credit, please let me know!) and to Rebecca and Kathryn for one of the most unforgettable weeks of my life. I learned, I grew, I was challenged and I had the time of my life! I can’t wait till October!

xo lc

PS- I met so many amazing people at Engage, that I could write a whole book. Instead, here are a few more Engage recaps for you:

I totally heart this post. Probably the best one of all the engage!09 posts. Awesome way to relive it this morning and reminded me about all the great connections I made. Totally bummed I can’t go to Vegas. THANKS Lara!!

[…] learn from. The first Engage I attended completely blew my mind. (You can read my last two recaps here and here.) Meeting people like Rebecca Grinnals and Sean Low made me want to raise the bar. I […]